NEWS

criminals and drug users. It is essential that we do not equate poverty with criminality, and bear in mind the criminal injustices perpetrated by the moderately and ultra rich daily.

Both Philasande and his girlfriend are waste pickers at the Makana Municipal landfill. They are invested in waste management in Makana and attended a workshop for waste pickers that was organised by a group students in 2017 at Rhodes University. Philisande and his girlfriend have stopped going to the landfill since June this year [2020]. The reason they stopped is that there’s been some rogue behaviours among the waste pickers.

After Masihlule abandoned the workshop, some of the waste pickers started to use the old workshop as a shade from the sun (there is not a single tree at the dumpsite), for cooking, and shelter from rain. When we visit the landfill, we are accustomed to finding the guys seated around a fire, preparing breakfast under this shelter. Despite how essential this broken down structure is, the iron sheets have since been disappearing.

In many cities across the Global South, waste pickers play a vital but often invisible role in managing urban waste. These individuals collect, sort, and sell discarded materials, contributing significantly to recycling and reducing landfill volumes. Despite their important environmental and economic contributions, waste pickers operate in informal and insecure conditions, lacking formal recognition or support.